Heated warm-up device for an athletic instrument

ABSTRACT

A heated weight adapted to receive an athletic instrument is disclosed. The heated weight has at least two apertures permitting an athletic instrument to pass through the at least two apertures. The heated weight includes a rechargeable, microwaveable heat source that warms an athletic instrument through conventional heating processes such as convection and conduction. The heated weight can be sized and shaped to accommodate a specific athletic instrument, and is particularly well suited for use with a baseball or softball bat. Furthermore, the heated weight can be coupled with an athletic instrument to aid in the exercise of an athlete&#39;s musculature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/620,041, filed on Oct. 19, 2004, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides generally in the field of athletics, andin a particular aspect relates to protective devices of athleticinstruments.

BACKGROUND

Ambient air temperature can have a significant effect on the performanceof athletic instruments that impart or receive energy transfer throughcontact with an object, such as another athletic instrument or otherequipment. Cool ambient air can reduce the temperature of a softball orbaseball bat which may have a negative impact on both the longevity andthe performance of the bats. In particular, aluminum bats may becomedented if used at relatively low temperatures, thus ending the usefullife of the bat. Likewise, specially designed composite bats may becomecracked if used at relatively low temperatures.

While attempts have been made to provide warming devices that raise thetemperature of certain pieces of athletic equipment, there is acontinuing need for improved athletic equipment warming devices. Awarming device that is portable, provides for ease of use and isrechargeable is desirable.

In view of this background, the need remains for improved devices forwarming athletic instruments with an easy-to-use, rechargeable heatingdevice. The present invention is addressed to these needs.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, in certain aspects, disclosed embodiments provide a noveldevice useful in protecting athletic instruments and aiding an athlete'sperformance. The novel device involves the use of a weight that isheated.

Accordingly, in one aspect, certain embodiments provide a weighteddevice having a first end and a second end with at least one aperture ineach end. The weighted device defines a passageway between at lease oneaperture on the first end and at least one aperture on the second end.The weighted device is further adapted to be heated by an energy source.

In a further aspect, certain embodiments provide a weighted devicehaving a first end and a second end with at least one aperture in eachend. The weighted device defines a passageway between at lease oneaperture on the first end and at least one aperture on the second end. Aheating element is disposed within at least a portion of the weight.

In still another aspect, certain embodiments provide a kit for making aweighted device. The kit includes a covering adapted to create a shellenclosing an internal volume wherein the shell has at least twoapertures and a passageway between the at least two apertures. Thepassageway between the at least two apertures is adapted to receive anathletic instrument. The kit further includes a pad and a heatingelement, both pad and heating element adapted to be received in theinternal volume of the shell.

The disclosed embodiments provide a weighted device useful forprotecting athletic instruments and aiding an athlete's performance.Additional embodiments as well as features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the further descriptions herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and themanner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood byreferring to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying figures forming a part thereof.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the heated weight.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the heated weight in use on a baseballbat.

FIG. 3 is an isometric exploded cross-sectional view of the embodimentin FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the components used to create the embodiment in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a packaging tube useful in creating theembodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, and alterations and modifications in theillustrated devices, and further applications of the principles of theinvention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as wouldnormally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

As described above, certain embodiments of the present invention providea device useful in protecting athletic instruments and aiding in anathlete's performance. As used herein for convenience of description,the term “bat” is intended to encompass any athletic instrument intendedto strike another athletic instrument including, but not limited to,baseball bats, softball bats, golf clubs, cricket bats, tennis rackets,etc.

One embodiment provides for a weighted device having two apertures. Apassageway is provided between the two apertures. The passageway caneither be tapered from one end to the other end to accommodate a bat orit may be a constant radius passageway from one end of the heated batweight to the other.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a heated batweight indicated generally at 50 and having an outer covering 55. Heatedbat weight 50 has two apertures, a secured end aperture 60 and a freeend aperture 75. Heated bat weight 50 further defines an internalpassageway 62 that is generally tubular in shape extending betweenapertures 60 and 75. Heated bat weight 50 can have a fastener, such astie strings 65, used to secure the heated bat weight to the athleticinstrument, as described in greater detail hereinbelow. It will beunderstood by those in the art that the term fastener is intended toencompass any feature that serves to secure heated bat weight 50 to anathletic instrument.

Shown in FIG. 2 is the heated bat weight 50 placed on and secured arounda bat 80. Bat 80 includes knob 85, handle 90 and barrel end 95. Tiestrings 65 secure heated bat weight 50 to bat 80 such that tie strings65 prevent heated bat weight 50 from departing the barrel end 95 of bat80 when an athlete grips handle 90 and swings bat 80 in a conventionalmanner. In a preferred embodiment, tie strings 65 are composed of asingle nylon rope wherein the ends of tie strings 65 are simply the endsof the single nylon rope. The nylon rope is preferably contained in achannel created by folding the outer covering 55 of heated bat weight 50near aperture 60 onto itself and fixing the covering 55 in that positionby sewing, as shown by stitching 70.

Tie strings 65 may be knotted once the heated bat weight 50 is placedaround the bat 80. Thereafter, the heated bat weight 50 may be easilyand repeatedly applied to the bat 80 by sliding the knob 85 end throughfree end aperture 75. The knotted tie strings 65 will prevent the bat 80from completely traversing the passageway 62. The bat weight 50 may beeasily removed by sliding bat weight 50 back toward knob 85 end. It isimportant to note that once tie strings 65 have been knotted, other batsof similar dimensions can use heated bat weight 50 without any change tothe configuration of the knotted tie strings 65.

Shown in FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of heated bat weight 50. Secured endaperture 60 and free end aperture 75 define the ends of passageway 62.Passageway sheath 115 forms the surface of the passageway 62, which isadapted to accommodate an athletic instrument such as a bat. In oneembodiment, passageway 62 is of substantially uniform cross-sectionaldiameter such that an increasing size in bat 80 from the handle 90 tothe barrel end 95 will create an increasingly snug fit of heated batweight 50 around bat 80. In an alternative embodiment, passageway 62 istapered from one end of heated bat weight 50 to the other end inapproximately the same proportions as the taper from handle 90 to thebarrel end 95. Such a taper will serve to prevent the bat 80 fromcompletely traversing the passageway 62, the taper thereby functioningas a fastener.

Contained within the space defined between outer covering 55 andpassageway sheath 115 are a heating element 110 and optional padding 105contained in a wrapper 100. In one embodiment, outer covering 55,wrapper 100 and passageway sheath 115 are formed from nylon. In anotherembodiment, padding 105 is replaced with a wrapper 100 having a paddedsurface. In still another embodiment, padding 105 is replaced with outercovering 55 having a padded surface. In yet another embodiment, padding105 is eliminated with no substitute in either wrapper 100 or outercovering 55.

In one embodiment, heating element 110 is a rechargeable, microwaveableheating element comprised of a substance that accepts energy from asource (such as a microwave oven) and in turn converts the energy intoheat. Heating element 110 dissipates this heat energy over time throughconventional heat transfer mechanisms with its surrounding environment.Suitable microwaveable heating elements, or heat packs as they aresometimes called, are commercially available from Vesture Corporation ofAsheboro, N.C. and marketed under the MICROCORE® trade name. Such heatpacks are preferred because temperatures suitable for use in heatingathletic devices can be achieved with only a few minutes of warming in aconventional microwave oven set at high power. When warmed in thismanner and placed within outer covering 55 and padding 105, heatingelement 110 will retain sufficient heat to warm bats for extendedperiods of time. For example, placing the heating element 110 into aconventional microwave over on high power for 4-7 minutes will achieve atemperature of 175-200 degrees F. and will stay warm for approximatelyfour hours. Once placed within the heated bat weight 50, the bat 80 willbe sufficiently warmed within five minutes. It will be evident to thoseskilled in the art that other types of heat generating heat packs canalso be used, such as those filled with rice, buckwheat, etc.

In one embodiment, padding 105 is made from cotton batting. In anotherembodiment, padding 105 is made from polyester batting. In yet anotherembodiment, padding 105 is made from foam. Padding 105 functions as aninsulator, slowing heat loss from the heated bat weight 50 so that moreheat is directed toward the bat. Padding 105 also functions as aprotective device useful in reducing the external temperature of theheated bat weight 50 so as to permit safe handling by an athlete orother user. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that padding 105can be made from any material having insulating properties.

Turning now to FIG. 4, shown are the wrapper 100, the padding 105, andthe heating element 110. These elements are shown in their conditionsprior to preparation for use within heated bat weight 50. The edges ofpadding 105 are folded around the edges of heating element 110 creatinga subassembly of heating element 110 and padding 105. The edges ofwrapper 100, in turn, are folded around the subassembly of the heatingelement 110 and padding 105 to create a package adapted for deliverywithin heated bat weight 50, which is rolled prior to placement in thesubstantially cylindrical heated bat weight 50 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows packaging tube 130 that is used in one embodiment tofunction simultaneously as a passageway 62 for an athletic instrumentand as an outer covering 55 for the heated bat weight 50. Packaging tube130 is preferably a tubular piece of nylon 135 at least twice the lengthof the assembled heated bat weight 50 to accomplish both functions. Whenmanufacturing the heated bat weight 50, packaging tube 130 is initiallycompressed and placed along the length of and inside the rolled packageof heating element 110, padding 105 and wrapper 100. The compressedpackaging tube 130 is placed such that its ends extend beyond the endsof the rolled package, but the compressed packaging tube 130 is biasedtowards one end of the rolled package creating a short end and a longend. The short end of the compressed packaging tube 130 is decompressedand folded over the exterior of the rolled package. The long end of thecompressed packaging tube 130 (the end having stitching 70 and tiestrings 65) is also decompressed and folded over the exterior of therolled package such that it extends substantially down the length of therolled package, until it is in the configuration shown in FIG. 1.

Heated bat weight 50 not only serves to warm athletic instruments, italso serves to exercise an athlete's musculature. Prior to entering thecompetitive playing field, an athlete may place the heated bat weight 50upon bat 80 and conduct practice swings. The act of swinging the bat 80with installed heated bat weight 50 serves to loosen and condition anathlete's musculature so as to quicken the athlete's response to playingconditions.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the sameis to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.Only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and all changes,equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of theinvention described herein are desired to be protected. Any experiments,experimental examples, or experimental results provided herein areintended to be illustrative of the present invention and should not beconsidered limiting or restrictive with regard to the invention scope.Further, any theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding statedherein is meant to further enhance understanding of the presentinvention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any wayto such theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding. Thus, thespecifics of this description and the attached drawings should not beinterpreted to limit the scope of this invention to the specificsthereof. Rather, the scope of this invention should be evaluated withreference to the claims appended hereto. In reading the claims it isintended that when words such as “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “atleast a portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claims toonly one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claims.Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” isused, the claims may include a portion and/or the entire item unlessspecifically stated to the contrary.

1. A heated warm-up device for an athletic instrument, comprising: aweight having a first end and a second end, the first end and the secondend having at least one aperture, the weight defining a passagewaybetween the first end aperture and the second end aperture, wherein theweight is adapted to be heated by an energy source.
 2. The heatedwarm-up device of claim 1, wherein the passageway is tubular in shape.3. The heated warm-up device of claim 2, wherein the tubular passagewaytapers from the first end to the second end.
 4. The heated warm-updevice of claim 2, wherein the tubular passageway tapers from the secondend to the first end.
 5. The heated warm-up device of claim 1, whereinthe weight is microwavable.
 6. The heated warm-up device of claim 1,further comprising a fastener that discourages movement of the weight inat least one direction relative to the athletic instrument.
 7. A heatedwarm-up device for an athletic instrument, comprising: a weight having afirst end and a second end, the first end and the second end having atleast one aperture, the weight defining a passageway between the firstend aperture and the second end aperture; and a heating element disposedwithin at least a portion of the weight.
 8. The heated warm-up device ofclaim 7, wherein the passageway is tubular in shape.
 9. The heatedwarm-up device of claim 8, wherein the tubular passageway tapers fromthe first end to the second end.
 10. The heated warm-up device of claim8, wherein the tubular passageway tapers from the second end to thefirst end.
 11. The heated warm-up device of claim 7, wherein the heatingelement is microwavable.
 12. The heated warm-up device of claim 7,further comprising a fastener that discourages movement of the weight inat least one direction relative to the athletic instrument.
 13. A kitfor making a heated warm-up device for an athletic instrument, the kitcomprising: a covering adapted to create a shell enclosing an internalvolume, the shell having at least two apertures and a passageway betweenthe at least two apertures, the passageway being adapted to receive anathletic instrument; a pad adapted to be received in the internal volumeof the shell; and a heating element adapted to be received in theinternal volume of the shell.
 14. The kit of claim 13, furthercomprising: a fastener adapted to constrict at least one aperture of theshell.